Page 118 - untitled

Stuffed Peppers
with Mediterranean-Spiced
Brown Rice
Lurie Family, River Vale, NJ
“Sarah is mostly a vegetarian, so I am always looking for new reci- pes that I can make for the whole family. This one passed the test.” Debbie Lurie
INGREDIENTS Serves 4
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14 1⁄2-ounce) can Ital- ian-style diced tomatoes
3 cups cooked brown rice
10 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1⁄2 tablespoons pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
4 large red bell peppers
1⁄2 cup crumbled feta cheese
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a foil-lined baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion softens, 5
to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds. Add the toma- toes and their juices and
the brown rice; stir well to combine. Stir in the olives, chickpeas and pesto. Lower heat to low and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Slicethetopoffeachpepper and remove the ribs and seeds. If needed, make a very thin slice across bottom of each pepper so it sits flat on the baking sheet. Spoon about 1 cup of the rice mix- ture into each pepper.
4. Bake, uncovered, 25 min- utes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each pepper with 1 tablespoon cheese. Return to the oven and continue cooking until the cheese is slightly melted, about 5 minutes.
108 – TASTE OF HOME